Electric conductor.



No. 650,987. I Patented June .5, I900.

o. P. osnznsmzn. ELECTRIC CONDUCTOR.

A licant); filed. June 27, i899.

(No Model) 0?; ATTORNEY WITNESSES:

'3 3 of Fig. 1.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OSCAR PATRIO OSTERGREN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC CONDUCTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 650,987, dated June 5, 1900. Application filed June 27, 1899. Serial No. 722,013. tNo model.)

T0 0]] whmn it may concern..-

' Be it known that I, OscAR PAT-RIC OSTER- (i.REN,-a citizen of the Kingdom of Sweden, and a resident of New York, (llrooklyrn) county of Kings, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrio Conductors, of'which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in electric conductors; and it consists in providing a conductor which will present but slight resistance to the passage of the currents, and thus prevent or reduce to a minimum leakage of the electric fluid, which has heretofore invariably resulted.

My device is particularly applicable where the conductor is to be placed underground and where the conductivity of the surrounding earth in spite of the most perfect insulation results in a great loss of the electric fluid.

It is well known that a conductor for electricity is far more efficient at a low temperature than at a high temperature, and it is my purpose to provide means whereby the conductor may be reduced to and maintained at an extremely-low temperature. To this end I bring the conductor in contact with or in close proximity to a current of liquid air, and thus reduce the temperature of the conductor to that or substantially to that of the liquefled air.

I will now proceed to describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings and will then point out thenovel features in claims.

Figure 1 is a-diagrammatical view of a liquid-air system which may be employed in connection with my improved electric conductor. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 Fig. 3 is a similar section on the line Fig. 4 is a similar section on the line 4 4 of Fig.1. Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on a similar plane to Fig. 2, but of a slightly-modified form of const uction. Figs. 6 and 7 are views similar to Fig. 2, butlllustratin g slight modifications thereof.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several Views. 7

Referenc'echaracter 8 designates a hollow tube of indefinite length. This hollow tube I preferably make of pure copper, in which L case I use the tube itself as a conductor of these conductors in sheathing inclosing a space the products of evaporation which the blow-elf electricity as well as a conduit for liquid air. I do not confine myself to such material, however, or to such combined use, as I may make the tube of some electrical non-conducting material, such as porcelain or glass, and provide independent conductors for the electricity, as in Figs. 6 and 7. In Fig. (i I have shown thel'orm of wires 25, ar-

ranged on the outside of the tube 8, and in Fig. 7 I have shown asinglc wire on the side of said tube immersed in tho liquidair.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, reference character 9 designates a pn mp, 10 a cooler, and 11 a condenser.

pressed by the pump 9. It is then cooled .in the cooler 10 and liquefied in the condenser ll. From the condenser I lit is forced into the tube 8 through the connection 12. 13 designates a dome or prcssurc-chamber communicating with said tube. lhc products of evaporation rising in said dome or pressurcchamber maintain a constant pressure, tending to drive the liquid air through the tube 8.

Reference character it designates a dynamo electrically connected with thcconductor and arranged to supply the electricity which is to be transmitted thereby. V

My preferred arrangement for insulating the tube 8, either electrically or from thcinfiuencesof externalheat, is as follows: Isurround tube 8 with the porous casing 17 ofsuit- 'able material and construction, leaving a space 18 between said casing and said tube 8. This space may be maintained. by the use of suitable spacing-pieces, as designated by reference characterv 26 in the drawings. Detail description of these spacing-pieces as to their construction and arrangementis unnecessary, as forming no part of this invention. 'I arrange at intervals at the top of the tube 8 a blow-off valve 19,-set at a predetermined pressure. The said blow-off valve communicates on its discharge side with the space 18 between the exterior of the tubes and the interior of the casing. I provide also an outer sheathing 20, preferably metallic, said outer 22, surrounding the porous casing, having orifices 21. When from the liquid a pressure above that at valve is set, they will escape through said valve into the space 18 surrounding said tube and will gradually force air in tube 8 reach The air to be liquefied is taken in and initially com-- 2 state? their way through the porous easing into the chamber 22, and from thence escape through the orifices 21, repelling the warm air on the exterior of the casing, and thus effectively insulating the inner tube 8 and reducing the evaporation in said tube. The porous casing and outer sheathing, together with the chambers inclosed thereby, run the full length of the inner tube, andlhe blow-oif valves are arranged within the inner tube 8 at proper intervals along its length.

The porous casing may be constructed of any suitable material. I have here showuit as consisting of two sheathings of perforated metal or wire-mesh, inclosing between them granulated corn-pith, wood fiber, or the like, made of porous carbon, compressed cork, or any other like material.

If desired, I may replace the liquid airlost through evaporation by means of relays, as shown in a motor for actuating the pump 9?. The operationis the same as that already described with reference to pump 9. The air is taken in and compressed by the pump 9 and is'cooled in the cooler 10 and liquefied in the condenser 11, and from thence forced into the tube 8 through the connection 12, at

.tional apparatus for the further which point a dome 13, similar to that shown in Fig. 1, may be inserted to maintain pressure to drive the liquid air through the tube ina manneralready described. I have shown a second dynamo or generator 16' as connect ing electrically with the conductor, such genorator being for the purpose ot supplementing the dynamo or generator 14 in a case where the saidconductor-is of great length. As. the length of the said conductor is increased, so further generators may be added to an. indefinite number, as may also addisupply of liquefied air. If desired, I may liquefied air and said products of evaporation by employing suitable valves and connec tions, as shown in Fig. 5, the-connection 23 erably employ leading to a motor, refrigerating apparatus, or the like. In this case I omit the orifices 21 at or about the place where the valves'and connections are placed fordrawing elf said products of evaporation, thus making the outer sheathing a closed casing, and I prefa second blow-otf valve 24 to be used as a safety-valve to prevent an undue amount of pressure accumulating in the said connection 23.. What I claim is'-" v r v l'. The combination with a dynamo or electric generator, and an air-'llquefying apparatus, of aconduit adapted to receive and convey liquefied air from the air-li'quefying apparatus, the said conduit composed of electrically-conductive material, and electrically insulated from surrounding objects, and the said conduit electrically connected with thesaid electric generator and adapted to receive and convey electric currents therefrom.

Fig. 1, in which'case I can conven-' 'iently useja portion of the electricity to drive utilize the 2. The combination with a condnitfor liqucfied air or other liquefied gas, the said conduit composed of electrically-conductive ma terial, of. liquefying apparatus connected to said conduit and adapted to supply same with liquid air orother liquefied gas, an electric generator electrically connected to-said conduit and adapted to transmit an electric current to said conduit, and an electric motor electrically connected to said conduit and adapted to receive its motive power therefrom and arranged in its movement to operate the liquefying apparatus.

3. The combination with a dynamo or generator and an electric conductor for conveying currents of electricity therefrom, the said electric conductor arranged to be in close proximity to, liquefied air or other liquefied gas, of liquefying apparatus adapted to supply liquefied airor other liquefied gas thereto andan electric motor-connected to said electric conductor and adapted to receive its motive power therefrom and arranged in its movement to operate the liquefying apparatus.

4. The combination with adynamoorelcctric generator, and an electric conductor for conducting currents of electricity therefrom, the said electric conductor arranged to be in close proximity to, liquefied air or other liquefied gas, of liquefying apparatus adapted to supply liquefied air or other liquefied gas thereto, at or near one end of the said conductor, supplementary air-'liquefying apparatus, and an electric motor connected to said electric conductor and adapted to receive its motive power therefrom, and arranged in its movement to operate the supplementary liquefying apparatus.

' 5. The combination with a dynamo or electric generator, and an air-liquefying apparatus, of a conduit adapted to receive and convey liquefied air from the air-liquefying apparatus, the said conduit composed of electrically-conductive material, and electrically insulated from surrounding objects, and the said conduit electrically connected with thesaid electric generator and adapted to receive and convey electric currents therefrom, supplementary air-liquefying apparatus, and an electric motor electrically connected to said conduit and adapted to receive its motive power therefrom, and arranged in its movement to operate the supplementary liquet'ying apparatus.

6. .The combination with the conduit for liquefied air, or otherliquofied gas, of a source of supply for the liquefied air, and a dome, or air chamber, between said source of supply and said conduit.

IIS

Signed by me at New York, N. Y. this 16th day of one, 1899. i V OSCAR PATRIO OSTERGREN.

Witnesses:

. RITA BRADT, LEoPoLn ALMQUIST. 

